Wire-stretcher.



W. W. SNYDER.

' WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1909.

937,881 Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. SNYDER, OF SKYLIGHT, KENTUCKY.

WIRE-STBETCHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM WV. SNYDER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Skylight, in the county of Oldham and tate of Kentucky, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Stretchers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wirestretchers.

The object of my invention is to provide a hand-operated tool especiallydesigned to be used in stretching woven wire fence fabrics.

Another object is to provide a lever-operated stretching mechanism,constructed so that the travel or bite of the adjusting mechanism may beregulated.

lVith these and other objects in view, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, itbeing understood that changes in the specific structure shown anddescribed may be made within the scope of the claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, and inwhich likecharacters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a wire stretcher embodying myinvention disclosing the same in an operative position. Fig. 2 shows afragmentary portion of the lever disclosing a clevis in section. Fig. 3is'a View on the line 33 of Fig. l of the drawing.

In the stretching of woven wire fabrics, as these are of differentwidths and thicknesses, and, further, as men as well as boys areemployed in stretching these fence fabrics, it is highly desirable thatthe wirestretching mechanism should embody certain adjustable features,enabling the operator to set the stretcher so that a short powerfulstroke may be imparted to the operating lever, or enabling the operatorto adjust the tool so that a longer stroke may be taken, at theexpenditure, however, of a greater force.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 designates the operatinglever, which is preferably of wood and provided with a handle portion11. Near one end the lever is provided with thesemi-circular bolt seats14, intermediately with the bolt seats Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June2G, 1909.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Serial No. 504,534.

13, positioned within the opposite edge of the lever, and the bolt seats12 positioned near the handle and of the lever and upon the same sidecontaining the upper bolt seats 14:, as clearly disclosed. In connectionwith this lever, I employ three similar shackles,

in the form of clevises which are adjustably secured to the operatinglever. These clevises are all of like construction. Each clevis is inthe form of a sheet metal member, comprising the two similar side plates15, held in parallel spaced relation, each plate near-its end having anopening to receive the set bolt 16, secured by means of the nut 20.These clevises are approximately U-shaped and at their curved portionshave the metal flanged outward as is shown at 17, while at a pointbetween the curved ends 17, and the bolt seats, each side member 15, hasan oblong ear portion 16, stamped inward, these resilient members orcars 16, being held proximal to one another, and each ear portion 16, istransversely curved, so that the rounded portions of these members 16,come in contact with the edge of the operating lever in the mannerdisclosed. The transversely positioned seats within the edge of theoperating lever are arranged to removably receive the set bolts 16, eachclevis being provided a sufficient movement, so that in the rockingoperation of the lever, the clevises may freely res 0nd to the change ofmovement as require in the operation of the lever. The clevis centrallysecured to theoperating lever, is marked 0, and carries the ring 33,from which extends the tie or anchor chain 34, having the termial hook35, so that this chain may be secured to a suitable anchoring fencepost, tree or the like, toward which the fence fabric is stretched. Theclevis at the upper end of the lever is marked a while the clevis at thelower end of the lever is marked 6. Each of these clevises carries aring 23, from which extends an open-link chain 22, ending in theadjusting hook 25. The clevis secured to the handle end of the operatinglever is marked Z).

The fence fabric A, is secured between the two clamping members 8,braced by means of the usual ribs 7, and held to the fence fabric bymeans of the bolts 6. The clamping members are spanned by means of thecollars 5, which are engaged by the hooks 2, forming the terminations ofthe members 3, by means of which the operating handle is secured to theclamp. This member ends in the ring 9, from. which is extended the chain4:.

The operation of the device is very simple. If a heavy, stiff fencefabric is to be stretched the upper and lower clevises a and Z) arecarried toward the central clevis c. A short travel or movement willthen be imparted to these clevises a and I): As the operating handle isrocked in one direction, it draws the fence fabric toward the wiretightener. After the operating lever has been carried in the properdirection its full stroke, the terminal hook 25 of the opposite clevisis engaged within the chain 4, whereupon the operating lever is rockedin an opposite direction. This movement will draw the last engaged hookforward while the other hook will be carried rearward in an inoperativecondition. It will thus be seen that the first hook will be brought backalong the chain for a new adjustment. From this movement the operatinglever is continued until the full length of the anchor chain f has beentaken up.

The operating lever 10 is secured to an anchor post or tree by means ofthe tie chain 34. The adjustments may all be made with ease andaccuracy.

Where light fence fabrics are being stretched, the terminal clevises aand b may be carried toward the end of the operating lever and securedwithin the lastseat. By

, this means a greater travel of the take-up chain 22 is secured.

The drag chain 4 is of any suit-able length.

And having thus described my 'said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a lever having a seat within one edge, of aclevis comprising two side plates held in parallel spaced relation eachplate having a terminal opening, a bolt within sald termmal openlng andremovable within said seat, said side plates being connected by a curvedflanged portion, each of said plates having an inwardly directed stopear arranged to contact with said lever, as and for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination of an operating lever having a plurality of seats ateach end within the same edge, and a plurality of seats disposedintermediately thereof within the OP- posite edge; a clevis adjustablysecured to said lever adjacent to said intermediate seats, a boltcarried by said clevis and removable within one of said intermediateseats, said clevis having inwardly directed resilient stop earscontacting with the edge of said lever, at a point opposite said'bolt,

a tie chain carried by said clevis, a second clevis upon said leveradjacent to one of said end seats, a bolt carried by said lastmentionedclevis in engagement with one of said end seats, said clevis havinginwardly directed resilient ears contacting with said lever at a pointopposite said bolt, a chain having a hook carried by said second clevis,a third clevis, a bolt carried by said third clevis seating within oneof the seats of said remaining end seats, said third clevis also havingresilient ears contacting with the edge of said lever at apoint-opposite its bolt, a chain carried by said third clevis providedwith a hook, all of said clevises being ad

